Evansville City licensing panel approves master electrician application, clears scores of apprentice, journeyman and master licenses

The Evansville City licensing panel approved a master electrician application from an operator tied to the Mister Sparky franchise and voted to approve a slate of apprentice, journeyman and master-license applications during a regularly scheduled meeting (date not specified).

The approvals included a verbal vote to accept the application of Richard Turner, who said he has worked as a facilities manager at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum and for General Motors and indicated he will test to qualify a Mister Sparky franchise in the Evansville area. The panel also approved multiple apprentice and journeyman applications, several master licenses, and three continuing-education courses. Separately, a board member moved, and the members approved, a prohibition on receiving signature attachments submitted as separate documents with applications.

The meeting mattered to local contractors and training programs because it cleared new entrants to local electrical work and set administrative policies for future applications. Approvals and policy changes affect apprenticeship pipelines, permit applicants and firms that hire licensed electricians.

Panel members asked for clarifications about Turner’s work history, who held the master licenses under which he worked, and where he took licensing tests. Turner said he worked under several now-deceased master electricians, that he was facility manager at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum (wiring the scoreboard as one example), that he has a master’s license in New Jersey and in Allen County, and that he works now with the Mister Sparky franchise in Fort Wayne and will assist in opening a local franchise. Board members noted confusion in the application paperwork about employer names and parent companies and asked staff to verify master-license numbers and testing locations.

Votes at a glance: the panel recorded voice votes approving the applicant Turner’s master application and approving batches of apprentice and journeyman applications (names shown below). The panel unanimously approved three continuing-education offerings as online webinars and unanimously adopted a motion to no longer accept detached attachment files that contain signatures as the formal signature on applications.

The meeting included routine verification of training hours and letters of reference for multiple applicants. Board members flagged several administrative items during review: some journeyman applications lacked an approved apprenticeship school listing and were tabled for verification; several reference letters bore the same family name as the applicant, prompting additional scrutiny; and members discussed test content, reporting that recent examinees said the closed-book master exam contained unfamiliar calculation questions. Staff reported outreach to testing vendors for follow-up.

The panel discussed scheduling the July meeting and noted potential calendar conflicts around July 3; no final rescheduled date was adopted at the meeting. Board members were reminded to communicate logistics to applicants; staff said they would follow up with approved applicants about testing and permit scheduling.

Votes and approvals recorded in the meeting record

- Master electrician application approved: Richard Turner (applicant associated with Mister Sparky franchise). Motion and second: not specified in minutes; outcome: approved by voice vote. Note: staff to coordinate installation of test date/time with the applicant.

- Batch approvals (apprentice applications): Dustin S. Crawford (JTEC); Mark Chambers (JTEC); Bryce Russell (IEC); Aaron Allen (IEC); Tyler Schmidt (IEC); Jonathan Hall (IEC); Elijah Jewell (IEC). Motions to approve seconded; outcomes: approved by voice vote.

- Journeyman approvals (selected): Dylan Crawford (JTC); Mallet Chambers (previously verified); Randall Cotner (IEC Louisville); Kendall Starzer (IEC/Nick's Residential); Alexander Wilson (Dex Residential); Tristan Bazar (KC Electric) (some applications tabled for verification where school/training details were missing). Motions and seconds: not specified; outcomes: approved or tabled as noted.

- Master licenses and related approvals: Jeff Oates (BUFFCO/IEC); Donnell Jenkins (Sycamore Engineering, electrical engineer, state credentials noted); Nick Long (Second Moore Engineering); others. Motions and seconds: not specified; outcomes: approved by voice vote.

- Continuing education: three online courses (Construction in Industry Ethics; Effective Communication Skills; Plan to Succeed) approved for credit as requested; outcome: approved by voice vote.

- Administrative policy change: motion approved to disallow detached attachments used solely to convey signatures on applications; outcome: approved by voice vote. A board member summarized the rationale as concerns that attachments could be lost or manipulated and recommended applicants use an integrated signature on the application form or faxed signed forms.

Board members asked staff to verify the master-license numbers and testing locations referenced on several applications and to circle back with applicants whose paperwork lacked required training-school verification. Members also raised concerns about recent master-exam content after an examinee reported unfamiliar closed-book items on the calculations portion; staff said they had contacted testing vendors for follow-up.

The panel adjourned after confirming routine follow-up and noting that staff would coordinate next steps with successful applicants.